Automatic feed mechanism for labeling-machines.



H. STAKE.-

AUTOMATIC FEED MECHANISM FOR LABELING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26, 1911.

1,266,1?2. Patented May 14, 1918.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

H. STAKE.

AUTOMATIC FEED MECHANISM FOR LABELING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26 1917.

Patented May14,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. H. STAKE.

AUTOMATIC FEED MECHANISM FOR LABELING MACHlNES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR .26,1917.

1,266,172. Patented May 14, 1918.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

NIIII FICEA HERMAN STAKE, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC FEED MECHANISM FOR LABELING-MACHINES.

Application filed March 26, 1917.

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that HERMAN STAKE, a citizen of the United States, residingat Worcester. in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts. hasinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Feed Mechanismfor Labeling-.Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to a novel construction and organization inmechanism for automatically feeding small packages, cylindricalcontainers or similar articles; such as rolls of candy, packs oflozenges, round. boxes and the like; and more especially designed foruse with label-affixing mechanism of the character shown, for feedingand placing the packages or articles, holding the same while beinglabeled,-and discharging them from the machine; the prime object beingto provide an efiicient and convenient means for economically andrvpidly performing the feeding and labeling operations upon articlessuch as specitied.

." further ob ect 18 to provide, for use with label-affixing means, asimple feeder mechanism including a rotary element having thereon aseries of projecting jaws, clamps or holders adapted for contact withthe ends of the package for supporting the same while affording clearintermedial space entirely around the circumference of the body of thepackage where the label is afiixcd thereto, and means for closing andopening the clamp devices, as more fully hereinafter explained.

Another object is to provide an automatic locking means for preventingrotary displacement of the revolver or holder-carrying disk while themachine is idle.

Another object is to provide means of the character described, forplacing the respec Li ve packages in or upon the holders as they aresuccessively moved into position therefor.

h'linor objects and features of the invention are fully set forth in thefollowing cletailed description; the particular subject matter claimedbeing definitely expressed in the summary.

in the accompanying drawings (three streets) Figure 1 represents anelevation view of the left hand side of a machine embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a side View of my package-feeding and supportingmechanism, drawnon a somewhat larger Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1918.

Serial No. 157,341.

scale. Fig. 3 is a separate view of the same side of the rotary disk,showing its actuating devices as moved to a different position. Fig. 1is a detached vertical section illustrating the detail of thedischarging and roll-compressing means. Fig. 5 represents the inner faceof one arm of the package holder. Fig. 6 represents the inner face ofthe other arm of the package holder. Fig. 7 is a detached view of theright hand side of the package-feeding and supporting means. Fig. 8 is aplan view of the feeder and holder devices, together with thelabelaifixing wipers, and Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view lookingtoward the lowerv end of the chute.

The labelatfixing mechanism with which my invention is, in the presentinstance, combined, and as shown in Fig. 1, is a machine which in itsgeneral embodiment, is constructed and organized for operationsubstantially as described in Letters Patent No. 998,664, dated July 25,1911; the wiper mechanism being of a character somewhat similar to thatdescribed in Letters Patent No. 918,212, dated April 13, 1909. It willhe understood, however, that my invention applicable to label-ailixingmechanism of other suitable construction.

Referring to the drawings, F, on Fig. 1, indicates the supporting frame;numeral 10 the operating shaft to which the motive power is applied, andupon which are arranged the various cams for actuating differentportions of the label-ailixing mechanism. H indicates the label-holderfor con taining the supply pack of labels L of the required size. Gdenotes the gum or glue supply devices including, as usually employed,a. delivery-roll and fihn-gage for regulating the amount of gumdelivered; and 12 indicates the transfer-roll, carried by swinging arms11, and adapted for spreading the gum or glue upon the faces of thepickers 13 which latter act to adhesively take the lahel from the holderH and deliver it at position for its aifixment to the article to belabeled; and 14 indicates the grip-device for temporarily clamping thedelivered label to the package P in well known manner of operation.

15 indicates the oppositely disposed right and left Wiper-devices whichare mounted upon rocking arms or supporters 16, and are operative forwiping down the respective ends of the label and lapping the samebeueath the roll or package, by action of the pivotally supported wipercarrier 17 and suitable cams 18 arranged to operate in a manner similarto the action described in the beforementioned Patent No. 918,242.

In accordance with my invention, 1 provide a rotary element or disk 20arranged to revolve in a vertical plane central between the wipers 15,and mounted upon a trans versely disposed horizontal shaft 21, the endsof which are upheld by suitable supports 7' connected with the mainframe of the machine. Said disk 20 is provided at its periphery with aseries or plurality of dualarmcd projecting holders Or package-carrierC, preferably six, arranged at regularly spaced intervals, and eachcomprising in the present instance, a front arm 3 and a rear arm unitedat their base and rigidly attached to the edge of the disk. Each holderis provided with a clamping-lever 5 fulcrumed thereon, as at 6; theheadof said lever being inwardly offset and adapted to enact with thearms for holding the package. The inner arm of said lever is backwardlycurved and provided with a stud-roll 7 that runs against the face of astationary cam 22.

The arms 3 and l of the holders C are each formed at their outer endwith a re cess or seat 8 (see Figs. 5 and 6) for receiving andsupporting the ends of the package; that on the forward arm is in linewith the head of the clamping lever, and that on the rear arm is limitedby a plate or guard 5 attached to or formed thereon, and against whichthe package abuts, and is clamped endwise thereof by contact of the headof the lever 5 with its opposite end. A spring 9 is combined with eachof the clampinglevers, and tensioned for pressing the head of theclamplever toward and against the package.

The cam 22 is formed as shown in Fig. '7, with circular portions ofdifferent radial dimension. When the stud-roll '7 of the clamping-leveris traveling on the larger dimensioned part of the cam the holder clampsare open; and when traveling upon the smaller portion of the cam theholder clamps are closed by the action of the springs. The oifsets 1 and2 on the cam are respectively located at the predetermined position foreffecting the clamping and re leasing the packages.

On the side of the revolver or disk 20 there is a plate 23 having at itsperiphery a series of recesses 1" corresponding in number with theholders C, and mounted upon the axis shaft 21. there is a swinging anglelever 2i, one arm of which is provided with a spring-pressed pawl thatengages the notches or recesses in said plate, while the other arm ofsaid lever connected by a rod 2o with a swinging lever 29 fulcrumed uponthe frame at 30 and actuated by a cam 31 fixed on the operating shaft10, for oscillating said angledever and pawl 25, thereby advancing thecarrier disk 20 and package holders C with an intermittent orstep-bystep movement, to bring the respective holders successively tothe label-receiving position.

A latch or guard-pawl 82 is arranged to engage the plate :23 when theholders are at their stop positions. Said pawl is pivoted upon astationary part of the frame, and a spring 33 combined therewith forpressing its head into the recess. The pawl is formed with a projectingtail (see Figs. 2 and 3) and the angle-lever or pawl 3a is provided witha projecting finger 27 the end of which comes into closely adjacentrelation with said tail, when the mechanism is at primary or idleposition, as in Fig. 3, thereby preventing the pawl 32 lifting from thenotch, and thus automatically locking the mechanism, so that theholder-carrying disk can not be inadvertently or intentionally rotatedor moved from its correct position by pressure against the holders orexterior parts of the disk, nor until the angle-lever 2a swings forwardso the finger 3ireleases the tail of the guard pawl.

sit the front of the machine there is an inclined chute or slideway 36,in alinement with the plane of the revolver and holders; and anoscillative transferring device or tumbler 35 for passing the packagessingly from said chute to the holders, preceding their movement tolabeling position. The chute 36 is preferably of ii-shape, as indicatedin Fig. 9, or of such other crosssection form as will keep the packagesin proper alinement, and is disposed with an inclination that will causethe packages to freely slide down to its lower end, which is providedwith an arched strip or hood 3'? to prevent lifting of the package inthe chute. The transfer device, or tumbler 35, consists of a movablemember pivoted, as at a, to a suitable stationary support f upon whichthe chute is also connected; said tumbler having a circular segmentalface 38 that moves across the end of the chute, and serves as a gate orstop for the line of packages, while the tumbler is swung forward. Theupper end of the tumbler is formed to present a continuation of thechute when at its extreme rearward position, and is provided with a luglocated at a distance from the line of the face, approximately equal toor slightly less than the length of a package P.

At the top end of the tumbler there is a fixed flange at one side and atits opposite side a gripping flange and lever c0; said flanges and theend of the tumbler forming a cradle 35* for receiving the packages fromthe chute and retaining them while being transferred to the holders. Thelever at) fulcrumed upon the tumbler body and has,

at its lower end, a stud-roll 41 that engages with a stationary cam 42secured upon the support 7". A suitable spring 43 (see Fig. 9) servesfor pressing the lever 40 inward to clamp the package while the tumbleris carrying it forward, and the cam 42 is formed with upper and lowerofi'sets a and b that retract the grip when the tumbler is at itsforward and rearward positions.

The tumbler 35 is, in the present instance, oscillated by a pivotallyattached reciprocating rod 45 connected with the member 46 actuated bythe swinging lever 29 and cam 31; the action of the feed tumbler, rotarypackage-supportingmeans, and labeling mechanisms, being synchronal intheir proper order at each revolution of. the operating shaft 10.

Below and in transverse relation to the rotary holder-supporting disk20, I provide, in the present instance, an endless continuouslytraveling bed or conveyer 47 made of suitable material and mounted uponpulleys 48 and 49, one of which is operated by a belt or sprocket chain50 and suitable intermediate gearing 51 from a wheel 52 fixed on themain operating shaft 10. The upper por tion of the belt 47 travelstoward the left. (See Fig. A plate or elastic compressor device 54attached to suitable supports 53, is arranged at a predetermineddistance above the belt approximately equal to the diameter of thepackage -e. At each side of the presser there is a guard rail forkeeping the packages in proper alinement upon the belt. The packagesdrop from the holders upon the rbelt 47 at the position P and are rolledunder the pad 54, and discharged therefrom into the inclined runway 56,or

into a receptacle of suitable character pla ced for their reception.

Numeral 59 indicates a movable gate or evener device arranged across andabove the belt 47 and connected with the actuating rod 26 forreciprocative action; and 60 indicates an inclined director for causingthe labeled packages to roll toward the gate as they drop from theholders. The purpose of the gate and director is to lay the depositedpackages parallel with each other, and so that they will enter beneaththe compressor 54 squarely transverse to the direction in which the belttravels.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: The packages P, which maybe placed within the chute 36, either automaticallyor by hand, slidedown to the lower end thereof, preferably by their own gravity, and theleading package passes into the receiving space upon the tumbler,between the flange and tumbler-grip 40; its end stopping against the lug39. As the tumbler commences to swing forward the grip-lever 40 isreleased by its roll 41 passing from the lower offset 6 of the cam 42,and the spring 43 causes said lever to firmly grip the package to retainit in position upon the tumbler while the latter swings forward intoconjunction with the outer ends of the arms of the holder 0, occupyingthe primal position in its circuit of the revolution. In the mean timethe packages in the chute are held back by the segment surfac 38 on thetumbler. When the tumbler arrives at its forward position (see Fig. 2)the grip-lever is forced back by the upper offset a of the cam, therebyreleasing the ackage, which immediately transfers itself rom the tumbleronto the recessed ends of the holder arms; one end of the packageresting against the lip or plate 5*, while its other end rests adjacentto the head of the clamp-lever 5, which lever, as the revolver startsforward, is released by the offset 1 of the cam 22 and caused, by thespring 9, to contact with the end of the package, thus holding it firmlysecured by endwise pressure with its extreme ends resting upon therecessed ends of the arms.

The revolver is then partially rotated, bringing the holder and packageto position for receiving the label. Meanwhile the pickers 13 have beencoated with an adhesive film from the gum supply G, by the transfer roll12, and have moved up and taken a label from the label-supply holder.They now move down and deliver the label acrOss the package P", and thegrip-device 14 is then brought down upon the label, the pickers movingupward and releasing the label. The wipers 15 then descend and swinginward in a manner for wiping and tucking the lapping ends of the labelaround and beneath the package. In like manner a package is taken fromthe chute and tumbled onto each of the holders, advanced to receive itslabel, labeled and carried by stepby-step movement of the revolver tothe predetermined place of discharge P at which position the roll 7 ofthe holder-clamp lever runs onto the swell 2 of the cam 22 and releasesthe package which falls from the holder onto the traveling belt 47 andagainst the evener 59. Then as the gate is lifted the package is carriedbetween the belt and presser 54 and thereby subjected to a compressingaction which lays the label securely and firmly in its connection withthe package.

In some instances it may be desired to discharge the labeled packageswithout the supplemental rolling or pressing; in such instances thecompressor devices can be omitted, and the packages delivered directlyfrom the revolving holders; the operation of the feed and labeling meansbeing the same as above described.

What I claim and desire to Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with a labeling machine of the character specified; apackagesecure by feeding mechanism adapted for presenting and supportingroll-packages or the like to be circumferentially labeled, comprising ahorizontal axis-supporting shaft in alinement with and beneath thelabeling position, a rotatable disk mounted upon said shaft and carryinga plurality of pairs of equal outwardly-projecting arms fixed upon theperiphery of said disk, and having at their outer ends seat-recessesadapted for upholding the ends of a roll-package in the line of therotation. with unobstructed space completely around the package betweensaid arms, a clamp-lever fulcrumed on one arm of each pair and having aninvvardly-olfset head that contacts with the end of the pack ageWllllill the seat-recess, a spring for pressing said clamp-lever intocontact, a cam-plate mounted upon the axis-shaft concentric with andadjacent to said disk and having circular surfaces and offsets forcontrolling said clamp -levers, a package-delivery element fortransferring packages'to the seat-recesses on said arms, connections forintermittently rotating said disk and arms to successively bring thepackages to the predetermined position, and means for imparting motionto the feeder-operating parts from the power shaft of the labelingmachine, substantially as set forth.

In mechanism of the character specified for supporting roll packages or'the like for labeling, a rotatable disk provided upon its peripher; witha series of project ing dual-arn1ed holders adapted for seating theendsof the package upon the outer ends of their arms, clamp-leversfulcrumed on the respective holders and adapted for contact with one endof each package, the inner ends of said clamp-levers adapted for cooperation with a cam, a horizontal axis-shaft supporting said disk forrevolving said holders in a vertical plane, springs connected With therespective clamp-levers, a step-bjv-step actuating means operativelyconnected with the labeler operating mechanism, for intermittentl movingsaid disk, and a stationary -am having surfaces and offsets forcontrolling the clamping and releasing action of said clamp-levers 3. Inmechanism for the purpose specified, a package holding means consistingof an approximately U-shaped fnrcated supporter having an attachablebase and a pair of rigid uniforml projecting arms provided with seats atthe outer ends of said projecting arms for sustaining the ends of apackage, a swinging clamp-lever centrally fulcrumed upon said supporterand having its outer member adapted for endvvise contact with thepackage, its innner member offset and furnished With a stud-roll, atensioned spring connected for actuating said lever in one direction,and a central cam for moving said lever in opposition to said spring.

l. The combination with a package-feed mechanism consisting of arotatable disk disposed in a vertical plane in central relation, andprovided at its periphery With a plurality of package-holders, eachcomprising two proj cting arms their ends adapted for sustaining theends of a package, a package-clamping lever and lever-actuating springfor each holder, a clamp-controlling cam, a transverse horizontal aXisshaft- \vhe'reon said disk is mounted, a ratchet member connected vviththe disk, having recesses corresponding in number With the holders. anoscillating lever fulcrumed on the axis-shaft and carrying a pawl thatengages said recesses, means for actuating said oscillating lever, andmeans for charging packages onto said holders.

5. In mechanism for the purpose specified, the combination with theintermittently revoluble feed-supporter comprising a rotarydisk providedwith package-holders and package-clamping devices thereon, and aninclined delivery chute; of a shifting segment having a packagecarryingspace movable alternately into alinement with the chute and intoconjunction with the holder, a package-gripping clamp upon said segment,a clamp-actuating device, and means for shifting said segment, for thepurpose set forth.

6. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination, of a revolverelement provided vvith a plurality of peripheral package-supportingholders for seating the ends of the packages, and adapted to revolve ina vertical plane, an end-contacting clampdevice for clamping andreleasing the package on the respective holders, a grooved deliver chutefor the supply of packages; an oscillating tumbler-device comprising anedgevvise rockable segment provided With a cradle-recess alinable withthe groove of the chute and holders for transferring packages singlyfrom the chute to the holders, and having a segment face that movesacross the end of the chute, means for imparting intermittent movementto said revolver element, means for synchronally operating saidtumbler-device, and means for actuating and controlling saidclamp-devices at pro-determined positions in the revolver circuit.

7. In a mechanism of the character described, in combination With anintermittentl moving revoluble element having a series ofpackage-holders thereon and an inclined package-delivery chute; of anoscillating tumbler element mounted adjacent to the end of the chuteupon a pivotal axis, and having a cradle recess alinable With the chute,and a circular segmental face that moves across and closes the end ofthe chute, a grip-lever pivoted upon the tumbler, a spring connectedWith said grip-lever, and a stationary cam-plate provided with upper andlower offsets for actuating said griplevel, means for oscillating saidtumbler element to bring its cradle recess alternately into line withthe chute and into conjunction with the package-holder for depositing apackage thereon, and means for operating said revolver element,substantially as set forth.

8. In a mechanism for feeding roll packages, the combination, anintermittently moving rotatable element provided with a radiallyprojecting series of holders having recessed arms adapted for supportingthe packages and means for clamping roll packages at their ends, andmeans for actual ing said mechanisms, of an inclined chute through whichpackages are supplied, means for automatically transferring the packagessingly from the chute onto said holders, means for releasing packagesfrom the holders, a conveyer means movable underneath the holders forreceiving the released packages, and means for disposing the packagesconsecutively in parallel relation to each other thereon.

9. In a mechanism for feeding and supporting roll-packages or the likefor circumferential labeling; the combination substantially asdescribed, of an axis-supporting shaft, a rotary plate element mountedthereon. and provided upon its periphery with a plurality of radiallydisposed dual-armed holders each comprising a pair of rigid outwardlyprojecting members having opposite package-engaging seats adapted forsupporting the respective ends of a roll-package thereon, end-contactingclamp-devices for re taining the packages, disposed in a planeapproximately central in relation to the labelreceiving position, meansfor actuating said rotary element to bring the holders successively intoreceiving position, a cam-plate concentrically arranged upon theaxis-support and adapted for controlling said clampdevices for clampingand releasing the packages, a packagedelivery chute, a movable tumblerdevice for automatically placing packages on the respective holders, andmeans for actuating said tumbler device.

10. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination with arevoluble series of radially disposed holders comprising pairs ofuniformly outstanding arm members with engaging seats adapted forsustaining the ends of roll-packages disposed end to end incircumferential order to revolve in a vertical plane, means fordepositing individual roll-packages in position, with their endsengaging said sea-ts, upon the respective holders, an end-c0ntactingclamp for securing and releasing the package thereon; means forimparting rotative movement to the series of holders, and means foroperating said clamps.

11. In a mechanism for the purpose specifled, in combination, arevoluble carrier plate having a series of projecting dual-armed holdersthereon, adapted for supporting roll packages at their ends, withunobstructed space about the central part of the package, a supply chutehaving a groove in which the packages slide endwise, a pivotallysupported tumbler having a recess adapted for receiving individualpackages endwise from said chute and for depositing them lengthwise uponthe ends of the dual-arms of the holder, means for oscillating saidtumbler, and means for stopping the end of the chute during theoscillative movement.

12. In combination with the rotatable diskelement provided at itsperiphery with a plurality of package-holders, a horizontal axis shaftwhereon said disk-element is mounted, a plate attached to saiddisk-element and having recesses corresponding with the number ofpackage-holders thereon, an oscillating lever fulcrumed on said shaft,an actuator-pawl on said lever that engages said recesses for impartinga step-by-step movement to said disk-element, means for oscillating saidlever and pawl, a spring-pressed guard-pawl pivotally fulcrumed on theframe for engaging with said plate, and having a backwardly extendedtail, a projecting member moving with said actuatorpawl, that swingsinto conjunction with said tail and positively locks said guard-pawl forpreventing movement of the disk-element and holders when saidactuator-pawl is at rearward position.

Vgitness my hand this 24th day of March, 91

HERMAN STAKE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

